Variability Characterization of the Olive Species Regarding Virgin Olive Oil Aroma Compounds by Multivariate Analysis of GC Data

Virgin olive oil is characterized by its unique aroma, which is synthesized when olive fruits are crushed during the industrial process used for oil production. The genetic variability of the major volatile compounds comprising the oil aroma was studied in a representative sample of olive cultivars from the World Olive Germplasm Collection (IFAPA, Cordoba, Spain). The analytical data demonstrated that a high degree of variability for the content of volatile compounds is found in the olive species and that most of the volatile compounds found in the oils were synthetized by the enzymes included in the so-called lipoxygenase pathway. The use of multivariate analysis to identify cultivars is particularly interesting in terms of volatile composition and deduced organoleptic quality. It can be used for identification of old olive cultivars that give rise to oils with a high organoleptic quality and in parent selection for olive breeding programs

Centennial olive trees as a reservoir of genetic diversity

Background and AimsGenetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the oldest trees could be a powerful tool both for germplasm collection and for understanding the earliest origins of clonally propagated fruit crops. The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is a suitable model to study the origin of cultivars due to its long lifespan, resulting in the existence of both centennial and millennial trees across the Mediterranean Basin.MethodsThe genetic identity and diversity as well as the phylogenetic relationships among the oldest wild and cultivated olives of southern Spain were evaluated by analysing simple sequence repeat markers. Samples from both the canopy and the roots of each tree were analysed to distinguish which trees were self-rooted and which were grafted. The ancient olives were also put into chronological order to infer the antiquity of traditional olive cultivars.Key ResultsOnly 9·6 % out of 104 a priori cultivated ancient genotypes matched current olive cultivars. The percentage of unidentified genotypes was higher among the oldest olives, which could be because they belong to ancient unknown cultivars or because of possible intra-cultivar variability. Comparing the observed patterns of genetic variation made it possible to distinguish which trees were grafted onto putative wild olives.ConclusionsThis study of ancient olives has been fruitful both for germplasm collection and for enlarging our knowledge about olive domestication. The findings suggest that grafting pre-existing wild olives with olive cultivars was linked to the beginnings of olive growing. Additionally, the low number of genotypes identified in current cultivars points out that the ancient olives from southern Spain constitute a priceless reservoir of genetic diversity

Impact of climate change on irrigation management for olive orchards at southern Spain

The irrigation management for olive orchards under future weather conditions requires the development of advanced tools for considering specific physiological and phenological components affected by the foreseen changes in climate and atmospheric [CO2]

Survey of over 4, 500 monumental olive trees preserved on-farm in the northeast Iberian Peninsula, their genotyping and characterization

Inventorying, characterising and conserving on-farm ancient olive trees is a priority for safeguarding their genetic, natural and agricultural value and for protecting ancient genotypes threatened with extinction. In the “Taula del Sénia” (M-TdS) area (northeast Iberian Peninsula) a highly important cultural landscape has been preserved, in which the olive groves play an outstanding social and economic role: the ancient olive trees, sustained by many local farmers, constitute a living heritage and provide a clear example of High Nature Value (HNV). A total of 4526 ancient productive olive trees, with a trunk circumference (PBH) larger than 3.5 m, were inventoried and their spatial localization and biometric measurements were collected. 41 olive trees have shown the highest category in monumentality (PBH >8.1 m). The outstanding trees might be 634–1082 years old. The endocarp morphology of a representative sample of the most ancient trees from this settlement resulted in 14 different profiles. The ancient trees genotyped, through eight simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, revealed 43 SSR profiles. The use of SSR enabled us to verify that most of the trees (98%) belong to the local cv. ‘Farga’, a male sterile variety with a rare chlorotype, only a few trees corresponded with other local varieties, ‘Morrut’, ‘Canetera’ and ‘Sevillenca’, and ten hitherto unidentified genotypes were distinguished, some with chloroplast lineages different from the ‘Farga’ type. The M-TdS area holds a unique living and exploitable heritage with the highest concentration of ancient olive trees worldwide. On-farm conservation of this germplasm by the community of local growers is enabling preservation of this important source of genetic variation, potentially holding traits of resilience and adaptation to adverse soil and climatic conditions, demonstrated by the survival of these trees over the centuries. Farmers have undertaken initiatives to valorize the olive oil deriving from these M-TdS trees.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Mapping quantitative trait loci controlling fatty acid composition in olive

22 Páginas; 3 Tablas; 2 FigurasFatty acids are the main components of the olive oil and their composition has a critical influence on the oil quality. However, oil quality evaluation has not been frequently included in the selection of new bred cultivars. This can be due to the difficulties in analyzing oil quality in large set of genotypes and also to the long juvenile period of olive seedlings. Therefore, the identification of molecular markers associated to olive oil quality traits could facilitate their selection in breeding programs of this species. In the present work, the identification of the first QTLs for fatty acids on olive oil is reported. They have been located in a linkage map of a ‘Picual’ × ‘Arbequina’ progeny of the olive breeding program of Córdoba. Correlations among fatty acids are in agreement with previous reports of breeding progenies. QTLs found for oleic and linoleic acids explained 41.1 and 69.7% of the total variability, respectively, and were co-localized in the same linkage groups. In the same region, QTLs for monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and oleic/linoleic ratio were also identified. In other linkage groups, three QTLs for linolenic and one for palmitoleic acid were also located explaining 15.0–28.0% of the total variability. These results could be useful to increase the efficiency of breeding programs aimed at selecting new cultivars with high oleic acid content, and, therefore, with enhanced nutritional properties and oxidative stability of the olive oil.This work was partly supported by OLEAGEN Project funded by the Fundación Genoma España, Junta de Andalucía through Instituto de Investigación y Formación Agraria y Pesquera (IFAPA) and Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía (CTA).Peer reviewe

Conservation of native wild ivory-white olives from the MEDES islands natural reserve to maintain virgin olive oil diversity

Food diversity, and in particular genetic diversity, is being lost at an alarming rate. Protection of natural areas is crucial to safeguard the world’s threatened species. The Medes Islands (MI), located in the northwest Mediterranean Sea, are a protected natural reserve. Wild olive trees also known as oleasters make up part of the vegetation of the Meda Gran island. Among them, in 2012, a wild albino ivory-white olive tree with fruit was identified. Fruits were collected from this tree and their seeds were first sown in a greenhouse and then planted in an orchard for purposes of ex situ preservation. Seven out of the 78 seedling trees obtained (12%) produced ivory-white fruits. In autumn 2018, fruits from these trees were sampled. Although the fruits had low oil content, virgin olive oil with unique sensory, physicochemical, and stability characteristics was produced. With respect to the polyphenols content, oleacein was the main compound identified (373.29 ± 72.02 mg/kg) and the oleocanthal was the second most abundant phenolic compound (204.84 ± 52.58 mg/kg). Regarding pigments, samples were characterized by an intense yellow color, with 12.5 ± 4.6 mg/kg of chlorophyll and 9.2 ± 3.3 mg/kg of carotenoids. Finally, oleic acid was the main fatty acid identified. This study explored the resources of the natural habitat of the MI as a means of enrichment of olive oil diversity and authenticity of this traditional Mediterranean foodinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Utility of EST-SNP Markers for Improving Management and Use of Olive Genetic Resources: A Case Study at the Worldwide Olive Germplasm Bank of Córdoba

Olive, the emblematic Mediterranean fruit crop, owns a great varietal diversity, which is maintained in ex situ field collections, such as the World Olive Germplasm Bank of Córdoba (WOGBC), Spain. Accurate identification of WOGBC, one of the world’s largest collections, is essential for efficient management and use of olive germplasm. The present study is the first report of the use of a core set of 96 EST-SNP markers for the fingerprinting of 1273 accessions from 29 countries, including both field and new acquired accessions. The EST-SNP fingerprinting made possible the accurate identification of 668 different genotypes, including 148 detected among the new acquired accessions. Despite the overall high genetic diversity found at WOGBC, the EST-SNPs also revealed the presence of remarkable redundant germplasm mostly represented by synonymy cases within and between countries. This finding, together with the presence of homonymy cases, may reflect a continuous interchange of olive cultivars, as well as a common and general approach for their naming. The structure analysis revealed a certain geographic clustering of the analysed germplasm. The EST-SNP panel under study provides a powerful and accurate genotyping tool, allowing for the foundation of a common strategy for efficient safeguarding and management of olive genetic resources.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Identificación y relaciones genéticas de variedades de olivo en España mediante el uso de marcadores EST-SNPs

En España existe una gran riqueza varietal de olivo (Olea europaea subsp. europaea var europaea) que ha sido ampliamente caracterizada y evaluada. Aun así, varios estudios recientes han evidenciado la presencia de variedades locales de olivo desconocidas, poniendo de manifiesto la necesidad de profundizar en trabajos de prospección, conservación y caracterización varietal. Por ello, en los últimos años, se están llevando a cabo trabajos de prospección en diferentes puntos del país (Andalucía, Aragón, Cataluña y La Rioja). Dichos trabajos han permitido la localización de 290 olivos cultivados de interés y recogida de material vegetal para su posterior identificación. Dicho material ha sido discriminado mediante un conjunto de 96 EST-SNPs recientemente desarrollado en el Banco Mundial de Germoplasma de Olivo del IFAPA (BGMO, Córdoba). El empleo de los marcadores EST-SNPs permitió la identificación de un total de 154 nuevas variedades en las cuatro regiones prospectadas y la detección de casos de sinonimias y homonimias. Además, los marcadores empleados pusieron en evidencia la presencia de una variabilidad relativamente amplia con unos rangos de heterocigosidad esperada y observada de 0,31-0,5 y 0,29-0,81, y valores medios de 0,46 y 0,53, respectivamente. El estudio de las relaciones genéticas entre las variedades prospectadas y el conjunto de variedades nacionales conservadas en el BGMO reveló una clara agrupación de variedades andaluzas y variedades del norte de España, indicando de esta manera una posible selección local de variedades de olivo en nuestro país. En concordancia con estudios anteriores en olivo, estos resultados ponen de manifiesto la eficiencia del conjunto de 96 EST-SNPs para la identificación varietal en olivo y su utilidad para mejorar el manejo de colecciones de recursos genéticos del cultivo

Utility of EST-SNP Markers for Improving Management and Use of Olive Genetic Resources: A Case Study at the Worldwide Olive Germplasm Bank of Córdoba

Olive, the emblematic Mediterranean fruit crop, owns a great varietal diversity, which is maintained in ex situ field collections, such as the World Olive Germplasm Bank of Córdoba (WOGBC), Spain. Accurate identification of WOGBC, one of the world’s largest collections, is essential for efficient management and use of olive germplasm. The present study is the first report of the use of a core set of 96 EST-SNP markers for the fingerprinting of 1273 accessions from 29 countries, including both field and new acquired accessions. The EST-SNP fingerprinting made possible the accurate identification of 668 different genotypes, including 148 detected among the new acquired accessions. Despite the overall high genetic diversity found at WOGBC, the EST-SNPs also revealed the presence of remarkable redundant germplasm mostly represented by synonymy cases within and between countries. This finding, together with the presence of homonymy cases, may reflect a continuous interchange of olive cultivars, as well as a common and general approach for their naming. The structure analysis revealed a certain geographic clustering of the analysed germplasm. The EST-SNP panel under study provides a powerful and accurate genotyping tool, allowing for the foundation of a common strategy for efficient safeguarding and management of olive genetic resources.EEA San JuanFil: Belaj, Angjelina. Instituto Andaluz de Investigación y Formación Agraria, Pesquera, Alimentaria y de la Producción Ecológica (IFAPA) . Centro “Alameda del Obispo”; EspañaFil: Ninot, Antònia . IRTA; EspañaFil: Gómez-Gálvez, Francisco J. Instituto Andaluz de Investigación y Formación Agraria, Pesquera, Alimentaria y de la Producción Ecológica (IFAPA) . Centro “Alameda del Obispo”; EspañaFil: El Riachy, Milad. LARI. Department of Olive and Olive Oil; LíbanoFil: Gurbuz-Veral, Melek. Olive Research Institute. Department of Breeding and Genetics; TurquíaFil: Torres, Myriam Mariela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Juan; Argentina.Fil: Torres, Myriam Mariela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Lazaj, Adhurim. Qendra e Transferimit te Teknologjise Bujqesore; AlbaniaFil: Klepo, Tatjana.Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food. Center of Pomology; CroaciaFil: Paz, Sergio. Servicio de Transferencia de Tecnología Conselleria de Agricultura, Desarrollo Rural, Emergencia Climática y Transición Ecológica; EspañaFil: Ugarte, Javier. Gobierno de La Rioja. Servicio de Investigación Agraria y Sanidad Vegetal; EspañaFil: Baldoni, Luciana. National Research Council. Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources; ItaliaFil: Lorite, Ignacio J. Instituto Andaluz de Investigación y Formación Agraria, Pesquera, Alimentaria y de la Producción Ecológica (IFAPA) . Centro “Alameda del Obispo”; EspañaFil: Šatović, Zlatko .University of Zagreb. Department of Seed Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture; CroaciaFil: Šatović, Zlatko. Centre of Excellence for Biodiversity and Molecular Plant Breeding (CoE CroP-BioDiv); CroaciaFil: de la Rosa, Raúl . Instituto Andaluz de Investigación y Formación Agraria, Pesquera, Alimentaria y de la Producción Ecológica (IFAPA) . Centro “Alameda del Obispo”; Españ

New insights in the Spanish gene pool of olive (Olea europaea L.) preserved ex situ and in situ based on high-throughput molecular markers

In Spain, several local studies have highlighted the likely presence of unknown olive cultivars distinct from the approximately 260 ones previously described in the literature. Furthermore, recent advancements in identification techniques have significantly enhanced in terms of efficacy and precision. This scenario motivated a new nationwide prospecting effort aimed at recovering and characterizing new cultivated germplasm using high-throughput molecular markers. In the present study, the use of 96 EST-SNP markers allowed the identification of a considerable amount of new material (173 new genotypes) coming from areas with low intensification of production in different regions of Spain. As a result, the number of distinct national genotypes documented in the World Olive Germplasm Bank of IFAPA, Córdoba (WOGBC-ESP046) increased to 427. Likewise, 65 and 24 new synonymy and homonymy cases were identified, respectively. This rise in the number of different national cultivars allowed to deepen the knowledge about the underlying genetic structure. The great genetic variability of Spanish germplasm was confirmed, and a new hot spot of diversity was identified in the northern regions of La Rioja and Aragon. Analysis of the genetic structure showed a clear separation between the germplasm of southern and northern-northeastern Spain and indicated a significantly higher level of admixture in the latter. Given the expansion of modern olive cultivation with only a few cultivars, this cryptic germplasm is in great danger of disappearing. This underlines the fact that maintaining as many cultivars as possible will increase the genetic variability of the olive gene pool to meet the future challenges of olive cultivation